Disclaimer: Don't own YYH or Osa.

Japanese to Know:

Sake - A kind of rice wine; not really hard liquor

Chapter 36

Left Behind

Darkfire stirred, sighing. Her fingers twitched and clenched into a fist. "Damn."

"Finally awake?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. Slowly, she sat up, smiling at the man sitting on the end of the bed. "It's been a while, Lucifer."

"It has. But it gives me great comfort to see you back in your own form."

Brushing a hand through her hair, she crawled to the Devil and hugged him tightly. "It feels good to hold you again."

"It feels good to be held. I missed you so much." He kissed her neck, rubbing her back. "I missed my friend."

Darkfire spotted Hokage's body lying gently on a bed of pillows. She got up and went to the girl. "You cleaned her up."

"Well, no, not me personally."

"Thank you. What will you do with her?" She stroked the girl's cheek, eyes softening.

"Raphael will give her to Hiei when he comes."

"Hiei's coming down here…again?"

Lucifer nodded. "Raphael says he's going to try to take you. And I have no use for this girl's body. Besides, I think the people she died to save would rather have her."

"Thank you, Lucifer. You don't know how much that means to me."

"Darkfire…when Hiei does come, if you choose to go with him, I'll release you."

Darkfire turned and stared at the man she loved. "We made a deal—"

"I know. But if you want to go with him, you can."

She smiled and shook her head. "No, Lucifer, my place is here. Besides, it wouldn't feel right…stealing Hiei from her. Know, though, that I'll continue to watch him, as it is my duty as his Guardian Angel."

"Yes, I understand."

Darkfire turned her attention back to Hokage. "You sacrificed everything just so they'd live. Gave it all up so they could be happy a little longer. Such a selfish wish. Such a bravely selfish wish. But you knew that they would be hurt. Somehow you knew just how much pain you would cause them." She chuckled. "How amazingly stupid." Her hand trembled as she brushed Hokage's hair back. "Even if I had tears to cry, I wouldn't. You wouldn't want me to." She kissed the sleeping beauty's forehead and turned away.

"Come," Lucifer whispered, pulling her into his lap. He held her close, kissing the nape of her neck. "And what of the beast that is part of you?"

"The wolf? It's satisfied. The blood of Sugisaki and Hokage and the other demons quenched its thirst…at last." She leaned into him, exposing more of her neck. "Now you can love me without fear of being ripped to shreds. Now you can love me as you've always wanted."

Hiei searched his room for the clothes he wore the night of the masque. That damn coat was eluding him. He had thrown all his shirts and pants about the room, occasionally tripping over them in aggravation. Even his small closet had been gutted. He even checked his bathroom for good measure.

"Damn it!" he snarled, rushing to the window. He opened the curtains violently, and there, on the seat, was that stupid coat. Hurriedly, he searched the pockets for that small piece of paper. In triumph, he held it up to the light before unfolding it.

Dearest Hiei,

Perhaps when you read this you will know my intentions. Then again…I might have hidden them too well. Imagine that: hidden too well for you.

Do not grieve for me, Hiei. Celebrate, instead, that I will no longer bother you.

I will guide you better, I promise.

May you one day find love,

Hokage

Darkfire

"Hokage…" Hiei whispered, swallowing hard.

"Hiei?" Kurama said, knocking on the door. He strode up behind Hiei. "Hey, are you ok?" Then he saw the note and read it quickly. "It's sad, really. All this time we thought she was happy."

"She gave me the sword needed to save her. Instead I used it to end her life." He closed his eyes. "I couldn't see her tears."

"She smiled all the time. How could we possibly see them?"

"How could we not?" He glared at the note. "She practically told us! She gave me the cure and I didn't even notice!"

The fox sighed longingly and smiled sadly. "She really could do anything. She told us she wouldn't let any of us die…and she didn't." He patted Hiei's shoulder gently, trying to soothe the demon's aching heart. Trying to soothe his own. "Come, I'll heat up some sake."

Osadyro's eyes burned with the urge to cry. She bit her lip to keep the tears down. "D wouldn't want me to cry," she murmured, shutting her eyes tight. Everything hurt so much.

"It doesn't matter what she wants. If you want to cry, you should just cry," Angel sniffed from the open door. "She's dead. It's not like she can yell at you."

The girl glared at him. "D and I have a connection you gave up long ago. I know more about what she wants than you could ever dream of!"

"I know she obviously doesn't care about anyone. She went and died on you; left you behind."

The hairs on her neck bristled. "You ungrateful ass! She gave up her life so that we could live! So that you could live! She died for you!" Angry tears fell from her piercing eyes.

"She died for you and Hiei! She didn't care about me!"

"No, she loved you still. She should've hated you with everything she was, but she still loved you. And you treated her like dirt."

"I treated her like she should've been treated."

Osadyro tensed to keep from leaping at his throat. "How dare you say that!" she hissed. "You broke her heart and never gave the pieces back! You kept twisting them tighter and tighter just to watch her squirm! How can you say she deserved that?"

Angel snorted. "She ruined my life. She just had to follow those damn demons! I had a scholarship waiting! She stole that from me. She destroyed everything I had worked for! Everything!"

"Had you only told her…she would've never gone. If she had known—"

"She still would've gone! And then you would've followed!"

"If you had wanted to go off and be a basketball star, she would've let you. She'd have stayed behind, let go of her dreams, just to see you fulfill yours. But you're so Goddamned blind you couldn't see that. You're head's so far up your fucking ass you never knew."

"She only would've followed to stalk me."

Osadyro's eyes widened. She stood, swooped across the room, and slapped him across the face. His head hit the door hard and he fell to the floor. "You son of a bitch! She was afraid of you! I wish she had let you die!" She slammed the door shut and slid to the floor. Tears of sadness and anger streamed down her cheeks and she shook with unvoiced sobs.

"Screw you, too!" Angel called through the door, then storming down the hall.

"D," she whispered, hugging her knees, "I miss you so much."

"You can't just leave!" a man called.

"I can and I am!" another answered.

Osadyro perked up to try to identify the voices.

"What about Yukina?" Kurama.

"I don't have time!" Hiei.

"Don't have time? You have all the time in the world!"

"Then she can wait 'til I get back!"

"Where are you going?"

"To Hell!"

Well, it's almost over folks. Then next chapter is the last. The exciting conclusion. Will Darkfire change her mind and return with Hiei? Or will Raphael's prediction be wrong once more? Is Lucifer really as kind as he seems? Only the conclusion will tell. And only I know.